Is AI making Google Search and SEO irrelevant?

77% of the devices in use in the world have some form of AI and 53% of the workforce regularly use generative AI at work (McKinsey - The State of AI: Global Survey). 

With Google showing an ‘AI Overview’ (AIO) section above organic search results, is achieving the top spot for organic search no longer offering the same benefits as before?

“AI will not replace search—it will reshape it.”

During Google’s Search Central Live in NYC in March, 2025, the prevailing statement is AI will not replace Search, but will reshape how users interact with it. Through AI, Google is aiming to achieve an omnipresent search experience, across multiple platforms, with relevant answers to all of your queries.

Does SEO have a role in this new Search Ecosystem?

The goal for Google has always been to offer the best search experience for users and reward digital marketers who follow good SEO practices, focusing on quality content and user experience in an SEO-friendly way. 

This can be seen with the core updates to the Google algorithm, starting with the Florida Update all the way back in 2003 penalising keyword stuffing and other black hat SEO practices. With the Hummingbird Update in 2013 the focus was on natural language searches and completely reinterpreted how the algorithm handled search queries.

Using AI in search is helping Google push the envelope further in improving search experience by giving it enhanced capabilities. With AI, search engines can now go beyond keyword matching and offer personalised results and proactive assistance, making the search process more intuitive and convenient.

So what’s the key takeaway from all this?

The behind the scenes elements of SEO, like the core fundamentals of crawling and indexing remain the same, and will continue to matter. That’s the backbone and a core element of search, ensuring the quality and accuracy of search results. Good websites will continue to be rewarded, and rank high in search results.

"SEO Is Evolving, Not Dying"

The main changes are happening in the way the search queries are being displayed to the end user. The way we are consuming information is changing with shortform-videos replacing long-form written articles. The same can be said now for the way we search and go through information on the internet. AI is changing the way search information is being displayed and consumed by users, offering accurate and personalised results, with fewer searches.

To succeed in this new ecosystem:

• Optimize for answering questions, not just ranking keywords.

• Focus on EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) signals.

• Adapt content formats to match user preferences (e.g., video, FAQs, rich snippets).

• Understand and embrace how AI summarizes or references your content in AIOs.

Just as SEO has evolved through past algorithm updates, it must now adapt again. But at its core, quality content and strong site fundamentals still win. SEO will always play a role in search and should always be a core part of your digital marketing strategy.

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